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The Asian Mid-Autumn Moon Festival

The Chinese Moon Festival is on the 15th of the 8th lunar month. It's also known as the Mid-autumn Festival. Chinese culture is deeply imbedded in traditional festivals. Just like Christmas and Thanksgiving in the West, the Moon Festival is one of the most important traditional events for the Chinese.

The Moon Festival is full of legendary stories. Legend says that Chang Er flew to the moon, where she has lived ever since. You might see her dancing on the moon during the Moon Festival. The Moon Festival is also an occasion for family reunions. When the full moon rises, families get together to watch the full moon, eat moon cakes, and sing moon poems. With the full moon, the legend, the family and the poems, you can't help thinking that this is really a perfect world. That is why the Chinese are so fond of the Moon Festival.

The Moon Festival is also a romantic one. A perfect night for the festival is if it is a quiet night without a silk of cloud and with a little mild breeze from the sea. Lovers spend such a romatic night together tasting the delicious moon cake with some wine while watching the full moon. Even for a couple who can't be together, they can still enjoy the night by watching the moon at the same time so it seems that they are together at that hour. A great number of poetry has been devoted to this romantic festival.

All links will open in new windows

• Chinese Mid Autumn Festival or Moon Cake Festival


• Thai celebration of Moon Festival


• Event calendar: Chinatown, San Francisco


• 2004 Chinese Moon Festival


• The art of the mooncake


• A mooncake recipe

There are so many versions of this tale! In some Chang O is a greedy woman, or a victim of her own curiosity, much like Pandora. In others, she is a heroine, who swallowed the elixor of immortality to protect the world from her husband, once a hero, but corupted by power. Which ever story you prefer, this much is consistant...the lithe, graceful figure of the beautiful Chang O and her jade hare can be seen shadowing the harvest moon.

• Chang O's flight


• Once Upon a Moon
  Moon myths and another telling of Chang-O's flight


• Variation 3


• Variation 4


• Another variation of the tale



• Chinese Moon Poetry


• More Moon Poetry


• Moon Poetry in Chinese
  This is in Chinese script and is simply lovely to see!

• An Introduction to Digital Color Management


• Color Management for Photographers
  An overview of color and the digital imaging process


• From Lens to Print, Obtaining Predictable Results


• Color Management, Grayscale Charts and Monitor Adjustment


• Color Remedies Library


• Out of Gamut: Setting Up Color Management in Photoshop 6


• Color Management, Photoshop and your printer


• Color Management for Photoshop 6 and 7


• Photoshop 6 & 7 Color Management tutorial


• Photoshop tips: Color Management


• Understanding Printer Colour Management
  A Brief Tutorial on Printer Settings


• Color Management Resources

Photo by Richard Walker

Long Tall Sally               Windwalker